Copper (Sulfide)
CuFeS₂ / Cu₂S
Primary flotation may use a xanthate collector. Concentrate grade, recovery, and reagent scheme must be established by representative mineral testwork.
Froth Flotation
SF Flotation Machine — Copper, Lead-Zinc & Graphite Circuits
SF flotation cells for copper sulfide, lead-zinc, graphite, fluorite, and gold-bearing sulfide recovery. The self-aspirating SF series covers 7 cell sizes from 0.37 to 20 m³ for rougher, cleaner, and scavenger banks without a separate air blower.
- Cell Sizes
- 7
- Largest Cell
- 20 m³
- Common Duties
- Cu / Pb-Zn
- Copper sulfide, lead-zinc, graphite, and fluorite duties
- Rougher, cleaner, and scavenger bank planning
- Popular production sizes: SF-8, SF-16, and SF-20
Need SF-8 or SF-16 layout support? After duty confirmation, we provide outline drawing guidance, motor layout references, and cell-bank arrangement suggestions for procurement and civil planning.
How Froth Flotation Works
Flotation exploits surface chemistry: valuable mineral particles are made hydrophobic by chemical reagents, then selectively attach to air bubbles and float to the surface as a mineralised froth — while gangue minerals stay wetted and sink.
01
Grind & Condition
Ore is ground to liberation size (typically 75–150 µm) in a ball mill. Reagents (collector, frother, pH modifier) are added and mixed with the slurry in conditioning tanks to coat mineral surfaces.
02
Aerate
Slurry enters the flotation cell. The self-aspirating impeller draws air down the hollow shaft, while the stator disperses it through the pulp. Bubble-size distribution must be confirmed under the proposed air rate, reagent programme, and slurry conditions.
03
Attach & Rise
Hydrophobic (collector-coated) mineral particles collide with air bubbles and attach. The bubble-particle aggregates rise buoyantly to the surface, forming a stable mineralised froth layer.
04
Collect Froth
Mechanical scrapers continuously push the mineralised froth over the overflow weir into the concentrate launder. Gangue slurry exits from the cell bottom as tailings.
Flotation Reagent Types
- Collectors
- Make the target mineral surface hydrophobic so air bubbles attach. Common families include xanthates for sulfides, fatty acids for some non-sulfides, and oils for coal. Reagent choice and dosage must be established by testwork and chemical-safety review.
- Frothers
- Stabilise air bubbles so the froth layer persists long enough to overflow the weir. Common families include MIBC, pine oil, and polypropylene glycols. Reagent choice and dosage must be established by testwork and chemical-safety review.
- Depressants
- Prevent unwanted gangue or minerals from floating. ZnSO₄ + NaCN depresses zinc and pyrite; lime raises pH to depress pyrite; sodium silicate disperses silicates. Dosage varies widely.
- Activators
- Restore hydrophobicity to minerals temporarily depressed or naturally difficult to float. CuSO₄ activates sphalerite (ZnS). Na₂S activates oxidised copper and lead minerals.
- pH Regulators
- Adjust pulp pH to control selectivity. Lime may be used for alkaline conditions and acid for some acidic circuits, but the target range, dosing method, materials compatibility, and safety controls must be established by testwork and chemical review.
Flotation Circuit Stages
A complete flotation plant uses multiple stages in series, each with a bank of SF cells. Grade and recovery are balanced across the circuit.
Rougher
First-pass flotation targets a rougher concentrate while rougher tails continue to the scavenger stage. Grade lift, reagent dosage, and residence time are ore-specific and must be established by testwork.
Scavenger
Processes rougher tailings to capture remaining mineral value. Low reagent dosage, coarse froth setting. Scavenger concentrate (low grade) is recycled back to the rougher or cleaner feed.
Cleaner
Upgrades rougher concentrate to final saleable grade. Less residence time needed, fine froth, low collector. Multiple cleaner stages (2–3 stages) progressively raise grade. Cleaner tails return to rougher.
Re-Cleaner
An optional additional cleaning stage may be evaluated for higher-grade targets. Each added stage changes the grade-recovery balance and must be justified by locked-cycle testwork.
Typical minimum circuit: Rougher + Cleaner + Scavenger
A rougher, cleaner, and scavenger arrangement is a common starting point, not a recovery prediction. Required stage count, concentrate grade, recovery, and any combined process must be confirmed by representative locked-cycle testwork.
SF Series — Model Specifications
7 cell sizes from 0.37 m³ (lab / pilot) to 20 m³ (large-scale production). All models are self-aspirating — no external air blower required.
| Model | Cell Volume | Capacity | Impeller Dia. | Motor Power | Weight | Get Quote |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SF-0.37 | 0.37 m³ | 0.2–0.4 m³/min | 300 mm | 1.5 kW | 0.45 t | Quote |
| SF-1.2 | 1.2 m³ | 0.6–1.6 m³/min | 450 mm | 5.5 kW | 1.8 t | Quote |
| SF-2.8 | 2.8 m³ | 1.5–3.5 m³/min | 550 mm | 11 kW | 3.2 t | Quote |
| SF-4 | 4 m³ | 2–4 m³/min | 650 mm | 15 kW | 4.1 t | Quote |
| SF-8 | 8 m³ | 4–8 m³/min | 760 mm | 30 kW | 7.5 t | Quote |
| SF-16 | 16 m³ | 5–16 m³/min | 850 mm | 45 kW | 12 t | Quote |
| SF-20 | 20 m³ | 10–12 m³/min | 850 mm | 45 kW | 14 t | Quote |
* Capacity in m³/min refers to pulp flow rate through the cell bank, not ore tonnage. Tonnage depends on ore specific gravity and solids concentration. Convert the t/h requirement to cell volume only after those inputs and the testwork residence time are documented.
Processable Minerals
SF cells can be evaluated for copper sulfide, lead-zinc, graphite, fluorite, and similar flotation duties after mineralogy, liberation, reagent response, residence time, and air demand are established.
Lead & Zinc
PbS / ZnS
Sequential differential flotation — float lead first with low pH, then activate zinc with CuSO₄. SF machines handle both stages.
Gold (Sulfide-hosted)
Au in pyrite / arsenopyrite
Float the sulfide carrier mineral with xanthate; gold follows. Concentrate then goes to CIL or smelting.
Molybdenum
MoS₂
Bulk Cu-Mo flotation followed by selective depression is one possible route. Final Mo grade and recovery require representative testwork and assay confirmation.
Fluorite
CaF₂
Non-sulfide flotation with fatty acid collector. Acid-grade CaF₂ is a possible process target, but concentrate grade and recovery require mineral testwork and assay confirmation.
Graphite
C (crystalline)
Natural graphite is naturally hydrophobic — light collector dosage only. SF machines produce flake graphite concentrates.
Coal / Fine Coal
—
De-ashing of fine coal (<0.5 mm) where gravity separation is ineffective. Diesel oil as collector, MIBC as frother.
Nickel & Cobalt
NiS / CoAsS
Pentlandite and cobaltite float with xanthate. Circuits typically include magnetic separation to remove pyrrhotite.
Main Components
These six components interact with slurry properties, reagent conditions, and operating level. Review them together when diagnosing air dispersion, froth transport, grade, or recovery.
01
Cell Tank
Forward-inclined rectangular trough that minimises dead corners and accelerates froth movement toward the overflow weir. Tank geometry directly affects residence time and froth recovery.
02
Impeller
Double-sided backward-rake impeller blades create dual circulation: upper zone aerates the pulp; lower zone resuspends settled coarse particles. Low rotation speed (200–400 RPM) reduces reagent shear and wear.
03
Stator / Disperser
Stationary cage surrounding the impeller that disperses incoming air through the pulp. The resulting bubble-size distribution depends on air rate, pulp chemistry, frother programme, impeller-stator condition, and slurry properties, so it must be measured during testwork and commissioning rather than assumed from a fixed range.
04
Air Intake Pipe
In self-aspirating SF design, impeller rotation creates vacuum that pulls ambient air down the hollow shaft without a blower. Air flow rate is controlled by the intake valve — a critical operating variable.
05
Froth Weir & Scraper
Overflow weir height sets the froth depth. Mechanical scrapers (paddles) push froth over the weir into the concentrate launder continuously. Scraper speed affects froth retention time and concentrate grade.
06
Level Control Valve
Controls pulp level inside the cell to maintain consistent froth depth. In a multi-cell bank, the level in each cell is set independently to optimise recovery progression from rougher to scavenger.
How to size a flotation circuit
Flotation circuit design requires mineralogy, grind size, target concentrate quality, slurry flow, and representative metallurgical testwork before cell volume or stage count is fixed.
Step 01
Determine Required Total Cell Volume
Calculate total cell volume from measured slurry flow and the residence time established by representative testwork. Divide the resulting bank volume by the selected cell size, then confirm short-circuiting allowance and operating level in the written design basis.
Step 02
Select Cell Size
Larger cells (SF-8, SF-16, SF-20) reduce capital cost and floor space per m³ of volume. Smaller cells (SF-0.37, SF-1.2) offer finer control in lab and pilot circuits, or when handling low-volume high-value streams.
Step 03
Plan Rougher–Cleaner–Scavenger Stages
A rougher, cleaner, and scavenger arrangement is one starting point. Low-grade, fine-grained, or complex ores may need a different stage count; confirm the number of cells and recycle streams from locked-cycle testwork.
Step 04
Confirm Reagent Compatibility
Confirm chemical compatibility for every reagent in the proposed circuit. If cyanide is present, require written compatibility for shaft seals, rubber linings, and all wetted materials before ordering.
Need a flotation circuit review?
Tell us: ore type, feed grade (%), target concentrate grade, daily throughput (t/d), and grind size target. We can prepare a first-pass rougher–cleaner–scavenger basis for review against your testwork, including candidate cell count, cell size, and reagent questions.
Maintenance basis
Flotation cells are mechanically simple. Most performance issues are process-related (reagent dosage, pH, grind size) rather than mechanical — operators should learn to read the froth.
Operating checks
- Monitor froth texture — dry, sandy froth means insufficient air or reagent; wet, watery froth means too much frother
- Check pulp level in each cell; adjust level valve if froth depth has shifted
- Inspect froth scraper paddles for wear or breakage — damaged scrapers cause concentrate loss
- Verify reagent dosing pumps are running at set rates; check feeder pipes are not blocked
Planned inspection
- Measure impeller leading-edge thickness and compare it with the maker's minimum section, air-dispersion performance, and the duty-specific wear trend before replacement
- Check stator bars for wear; stator wear increases bubble size and reduces recovery
- Lubricate impeller shaft bearing per schedule
- Clean froth launder of settled concentrate build-up
Condition-based service
- Replace impeller and stator as a matched pair — mismatched wear causes uneven aeration
- Drain and inspect cell for rubber lining condition; patch or replace if torn
- Check all reagent addition points for correct location and flow pattern
- Calibrate level control valves — drift causes froth depth inconsistency across the bank
Why Choose MarsCrusher SF Series
- Self-aspirating impeller — no external air blower required
- Double-sided backward impeller blades support dual slurry circulation
- Forward-inclined tank geometry is intended to reduce dead zones and aid froth removal
- Impeller speed, wear life and maintenance interval must be checked against the selected duty
- Air intake and power draw depend on slurry properties and bank configuration
- Can be configured as suction cell or direct-flow cell in series circuits
FAQ
Flotation Machine FAQ
Short answers to common procurement questions before requesting quotation.
- How many flotation cells do I need for a copper or lead-zinc plant?
- Cell count comes from feed flow and required residence time across rougher, cleaner, and scavenger stages. For copper or lead-zinc circuits, sizing should ideally be checked against metallurgical test data before final model selection.
- Does SF flotation machine need an external blower?
- Standard SF design is self-aspirating and usually does not need an external air blower, which simplifies installation and operation.
- What process variables most affect recovery in an SF flotation circuit?
- The highest-impact variables are grind size, reagent regime, pH control, and froth depth. Mechanical condition matters, but process control usually dominates results.
- What feed preparation should be controlled before sulfide flotation?
- Keep crushed feed and blending stable, then control grinding and classification to the liberation target established by testwork. A flotation cell cannot compensate for highly variable or insufficiently liberated feed, so those upstream acceptance limits should be part of the operating plan.
- Can SF flotation machine be used for copper, lead-zinc, graphite, and gold circuits?
- Yes. SF cells are widely used in copper sulfide, lead-zinc, graphite, fluorite, and gold-associated sulfide circuits when process design, residence time, and reagent suite are properly configured.
- How should payment terms be verified?
- Payment method, deposit schedule, currency, beneficiary, and release documents must be stated in a supplier-issued proforma invoice or sales contract. Do not transfer funds based only on website copy; independently verify the beneficiary and document version before payment.
- How should shipping terms be confirmed?
- Available destinations and Incoterms depend on the quoted equipment and route. The quotation should name the port, Incoterms version, freight scope, packing method, export-document responsibility, insurance, and any exclusions; destination duties and local permits also need separate confirmation.
- What installation and commissioning scope should I confirm?
- Ask the quotation to state which drawings, manuals, remote support, site supervision, commissioning tests, and acceptance records are included. If on-site work is offered, the contract should also allocate travel, visa, accommodation, safety, tooling, and schedule responsibilities.
- How should I plan spare and wear parts?
- Request a wear-parts list with part numbers, material grades, recommended opening stock, quoted availability, and replacement lead time. Parts availability and interchangeability are not confirmed until they appear in the written supply scope.
- What must the warranty document cover?
- The warranty period, start date, covered components, exclusions, evidence required for a claim, and available remedy must be stated in the signed contract. Website information is not a warranty certificate; pay particular attention to wear parts and site-condition exclusions.
Need deeper context?
Complete Your Flotation Plant
Flotation is the recovery stage, but recovery starts with the grind. Treat the equipment below as a process sequence; capacity matching and liberation targets require a documented circuit design.
Project brief
Start with the operating duty, then narrow the equipment path.
Share four operating inputs so we can rule out unsuitable models early and explain the assumptions behind the shortlist.